Two US National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington on Wednesday. Conflicting reports exist regarding their condition. US President Trump was at his golf course in West Palm Beach at the time of the shooting.
Two US National Guard troops were shot near the White House in Washington. FBI Director Kash Patel said Wednesday they were seriously injured and in critical condition. Earlier reports indicated the two National Guardsmen were dead.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey initially stated that the two soldiers from his state had"succumbed to their injuries." Later, however, he clarified that their deaths were not confirmed, as there were"conflicting reports."
Earlier, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the victims were in the hospital and in critical condition. The suspected shooter, whom Trump called an"animal," was seriously injured, Trump stated. He would"pay a heavy price."
Vice President JD Vance called on all US citizens to pray for the two soldiers. According to police, the incident occurred two blocks northwest of the White House, near the Farragut West metro station.
Following the incident, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to increase the number of National Guard troops in the capital by 500 to more than 2,500. He emphasized that the shooting incident strengthened the administration's resolve to make Washington"safe and beautiful" again.
More than 2,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to Washington since the summer. Trump ordered the controversial deployment, arguing that the capital was failing to control crime. Crime statistics do not support this claim.
The capital took legal action against the deployment. A federal judge recently declared the deployment of the National Guard unlawful and ordered it to end. However, she suspended her decision for three weeks to allow the Trump administration to appeal. The order will therefore remain in effect until December 11.
The National Guard is a military reserve unit and part of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is normally under the control of the individual states and is deployed in situations such as natural disasters, civil unrest, or other emergencies. However, in certain situations, the U.S. president can also assume command. Special rules apply to Washington.
Trump was at his golf course in West Palm Beach at the time of the incident. His spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, stated that the White House was closely monitoring all developments surrounding the tragic incident.
